According to the laws of Maryland the minimum auto insurance coverages for motorists to carry on their vehicle include:

• Liability coverages of $20,000 for bodily injury per person or $40,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage (20/40/15); and
• Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverages of $20,000 bodily injury per person or $40,000 per accident, and $15,000 for property damage (20/40/15); and
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage of $2,500.

The Maryland Insurance Department notes however that PIP may be limited, which will result in a lower premium.

Full PIP covers you and members of your family residing with you who may be injured in a motor vehicle accident, anyone else injured while in your vehicle, and pedestrians injured by your vehicle.

Limited PIP eliminates coverage for you, your family members 16 years of age or older that reside with you, and any listed drivers on the policy. PIP coverage cannot be waived for members of the household who are under 16 years of age, passengers who have not waived PIP, and pedestrians.

So the difference between full PIP and limited PIP is that with full you and your household family members as well as passengers in your car and pedestrians injured by your car are covered while with the limited option only family members under the age of 16, passengers (who have not waived their own PIP rights) and pedestrians you injure will be the only ones covered by your PIP coverage while everyone else waives their PIP coverages.

So anyone else injured while in your vehicle and pedestrians injured by your vehicle will continue to be covered by limited personal injury protection if you choose this coverage over full PIP. Limited PIP premiums are typically 40 percent of Full PIP premiums. You must sign a waiver form to obtain Limited PIP.

The state of Maryland notes in their guide that consumers should keep in mind that, although the premium for limited PIP coverage will be lower, under a limited PIP policy the insured driver and resident family members over age 16 will not be able to be reimbursed for lost income in the event of an accident. Such coverage is usually not provided under a health insurance policy.

Also, in the event of an accident, consumers should keep in mind that there are strict time limits within which a PIP claim must be filed. While the time period will vary by policy, state law requires at least one year in which to file a claim.

To get a quote for a Maryland auto insurance policy with either full or limited PIP you can follow this link for online car insurance quotes.